Juan 12:29

29 Por eso la multitud que estaba allí y la oyó, decía que había sido un trueno; otros decían: Un ángel le ha hablado.

Juan 12:29 Meaning and Commentary

John 12:29

The people therefore that stood by and heard [it]
Some more confusedly, who were farthest off; others more distinctly, who were nearer: the first of these,

said that it thundered;
as it used to do when "Bath Kol" was heard, which, as the Jews say ^F1,

``is a voice that comes out of heaven proceeding from the midst of another voice,''

as thunder; wherefore some took this for thunder, and others for the voice of an angel out of the thunder:

others said, an angel spoke to him;
these being nearer, perceived it was an articulate voice, which expressed certain distinct words, which they thought were delivered by an angel; for the Jews had a mighty notion of the discourse and conversation of angels with men, which their doctors pretended to understand; particularly R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, a Rabbi, who was living at this time, had learned their speech, and was well versed in it ^F2.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Piske Tosephot in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, art. 30.
F2 T. Bab. Succa, fol. 28. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 134. 1.

Juan 12:29 In-Context

27 Ahora mi alma se ha angustiado; y ¿qué diré: "Padre, sálvame de esta hora"? Pero para esto he llegado a esta hora.

28 Padre, glorifica tu nombre. Entonces vino una voz del cielo: Y le he glorificado, y de nuevo le glorificaré.

29 Por eso la multitud que estaba allí y la oyó, decía que había sido un trueno; otros decían: Un ángel le ha hablado.

30 Respondió Jesús y dijo: Esta voz no ha venido por causa mía, sino por causa de vosotros.

31 Ya está aquí el juicio de este mundo; ahora el príncipe de este mundo será echado fuera.